President of Rafte & Company to Offer Guidance on Client-Focus to Association of Legal Administrators Chapters
HOUSTON, Jan. 3, 2006 – In the highly competitive legal marketplace, law firms are faced with increasing demands from clients who want more for less. In the coming weeks, Dena Rafte, founder and president of Rafte & Company, will present, “Building a Competitive Edge: Creating a Client-Focused Firm,” to the Association of Legal Administrators in Palm Beach County, Fla. and Chicago. Rafte & Company is a leading provider of business strategy and technology solutions for law firms.
According to American Lawyer''s annual survey of Am Law 200® law firm leaders, published in its December 2006 issue, firm leaders said that their law firms are preoccupied with trying to figure out what clients want. Meanwhile, clients are increasingly using requests for proposals, which seek to commoditize legal work. Despite these concerns, however, most firms appear passive about client satisfaction, with nearly half (46 percent) of respondents to the survey saying they visited with five or fewer of their 20 top-billing clients to discuss their performance in 2006.
"Legal administrators play a central role in designing and implementing solutions to law firm challenges and there is no greater challenge today than aligning a firm''s business processes with client demands," said Rafte. "In this era of rapid response and interactivity, the survival of law firms depends on designing and implementing legal technology solutions and enable a more open and accessible approach to client relations."
Rafte says one initial course of action is to examine the law firm''s workflow processes and eliminate wasteful and duplicate practices. Through the strategic use of technology tools such as document management, case management and docket management, the typical law firm can make great strides toward satisfying client-driven requirements for real-time communications and enhanced integration.
"Many clients are taking swift action to identify law firms that have adopted a client-focused culture and leave the firms that are slow to adapt behind," said Rafte.
Rafte will be the featured presenter at the Palm Beach County Florida Chapter of the ALA’s January Chapter Meeting, which begins with networking at 11:30 a.m. on January 9, at Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion, 701 Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. To register, RSVP to Jennifer Tracy at jbt@paxsmith.com. The cost for members is $25 and guests are $30. Ms. Rafte will present to the Chicago Chapter of ALA’s monthly luncheon on January 16 at the Standard Club, 320 South Plymouth Ct. in Chicago. To register, RSVP to Marie Fiorito by e-mailing vmfiorito@lgattorneys.com. The cost for members is $25 and guests are $45.
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About Rafte & Company
Based in Houston, Rafte & Company is a leading provider of strategic technology consulting services for law firms and other professional services firms. Established in 1983, Rafte & Company specializes in designing, implementing and managing strategic business solutions that accelerate growth by aligning a firm’s processes, infrastructure, strategy and culture with a clear understanding of the current and future wants and needs of clients and prospects. Learn more about Rafte & Company at www.rafte.com or by calling 713.993.9637 (call toll free: 800.396.9390).